As we grow older, volume loss can become pronounced around the cheeks, eyes, and jawline. Areas of the face that were once full and youthful can appear sunken and creased as the years pass by. Facial fat transfer can restore volume to specifically targeted areas of the face, filling in the cheeks, eyes, temples, or firming up the jawline, to produce a dramatically more youthful facial appearance.

Natural fat transfer is a minimally invasive procedure, using excess fat from your own body and requiring only tiny incisions. Because the procedure uses your own fat cells, there is no chance of your body rejecting a foreign substance. Facial fat transfer is a very safe procedure with minimal downtime that produces natural-looking, long-lasting, beautiful results.

Dr. Christopher C. Chang is a highly skilled and experienced plastic surgeon who specializes in the face. He has particular expertise in fat grafting authoring several landmark studies of the science of fat grafting. He takes a holistic approach to treating his patients, considering the big picture as well as the immediate procedure, and ensuring that all aspects of treatment are geared to bring about the most pleasing, attractive appearance. We provide facial fat transfer and a range of non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedures. Our practice serves Washington DC. and surrounding areas, including Northern Virginia, and Maryland.

What Is Facial Fat Transfer?

Facial fat transfer is a fat grafting procedure in which excess fat cells are transferred from other areas of the body, such as the outer thighs or abdomen, and injected into areas of the face that are lacking volume. Dr. Chang can gently and selectively extract, purify, and preserve healthy fat cells and inject them into facial areas that need more volume. This process can add volume to the cheeks, improve the contours of the jawline, and fill in hollow areas to restore pleasing, youthful contours to the face.

How is facial fat transfer performed?

Facial fat transfer is performed in a simple, 3-step process:

Fat removal: The first step is liposuction to remove an adequate supply of excess fat from a donor site, which could be the thighs, buttocks, abdomen, hips, or even the jowls. The fat is extracted using special tiny cannulas (thin metal tubes) and low suction ultra-sound to minimize damage to the harvested fat cells.

Fat cell purification: When enough fat cells for the procedure are collected, they are spun in a centrifuge to separate the fat from the liquids also extracted in the liposuction process. Any damaged fat cells are removed, leaving whole, purified, healthy cells for the fat transfer.

Fat injection: At this point, Dr. Chang will have already identified and marked each site on your face for fat injection. Using a hypodermic syringe, he will inject the fat cells at the proper depths to add volume, fill in sunken areas, and enhance the contours and appearance of your face.

Facial fat transfer can be used to improve creases between the eyebrows and in the forehead, hollows under the eyes, and contours around the nose. It can improve the area between the nose and the upper lip, the temples, the jawline, and any area of the face or neck where volume has been lost. If you would like to learn more about this minimally-invasive procedure that produces natural, long-lasting, great-looking results, call our office for a consultation with Dr. Christopher C. Chang.